UK Economics Chart Pack Recovery still slowing The recovery is still losing momentum, with the CIPS/Markit surveys indicating that growth may grind to a complete halt by the end of the year. (See Chart.) Admittedly, the economy now seems slightly... 30th September 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Pressures mounting (Sep 10) The pressures on consumers are mounting, with a weakening housing market now adding to the mix. And the drop in the official measure of retail sales in August suggests that consumers might finally be... 16th September 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Unbalanced recovery still looks fragile While the economy expanded strongly in the second quarter, further signs have emerged that growth has since slowed. And the breakdown of Q2 GDP casts additional doubt over the sustainability of the... 1st September 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Weakening in wider economy yet to hit high street (Aug 10) The recovery in the overall economy appears to be softening. And although the high street appears to doing well for now, we doubt that consumer spending will be far behind. Consumer confidence appears... 19th August 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Recovery reaches its high-point The economy managed a much stronger than expected expansion in the second quarter, with GDP rising by 1.1%. (See Chart.) However, this is likely to be as good as it gets for this stage of the economic... 2nd August 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack High street holding up for now (Jul 10) Consumers do not appear to have let concerns about the fiscal squeeze affect their spending too much yet. Nonetheless, there are some signs that the spending recovery is starting to lose momentum. And... 22nd July 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack The fiscal squeeze arrives The £40bn of additional fiscal tightening announced in June’s emergency Budget takes the total tightening to some £128bn by 2015/16, the equivalent of some 8% of GDP. (See Chart.) With the private... 1st July 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Confidence wavers as fiscal squeeze looms (Jun 10) Although the latest news has been mixed, consumer spending on the whole appears to be holding up well. But there are other signs that cracks in the recovery are appearing, including recent falls in... 17th June 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Rise in inflation still likely to be only temporary The further rise in CPI inflation in April – which triggered another letter from the Governor to the Chancellor – prompted claims that the MPC is being too sanguine about the inflation outlook. But we... 4th June 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Consumer spending fragile ahead of fiscal squeeze (May 10) Consumer spending has struggled to pick up again even though the various temporary factors weighing on spending earlier in the year have now disappeared. The consumer recovery may yet gain some... 20th May 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Weak backdrop to election By any ordinary standards, the economic backdrop to the general election is poor. Only on three previous occasions since 1955 have elections taken place against a background of negative annual GDP... 6th May 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Consumers fight off pre-election jitters (Apr 10) Consumer spending has continued to bounce back from the snow and VAT related weakness seen at the start of the year. And with consumer confidence holding up despite the looming fiscal squeeze, the... 22nd April 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Recovery still looking sluggish The economy has bounced back somewhat since the weakness at the start of the year, suggesting that much of it was just a temporary response to the snow and VAT rise. But the housing and consumer... 31st March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Bounce-back from snow may be short-lived (Mar 10) It is clearly reassuring that consumer spending has recovered somewhat after the snow and VAT rise pulled down spending at the start of the year. And in the near-term, spending should receive some... 25th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack MPC pauses – but not for long The Monetary Policy Committee voted to pause its programme of quantitative easing (QE) at its latest meeting. But both the Inflation Report - showing inflation undershooting its target further ahead -... 2nd March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Recovery struggling to maintain momentum (Feb-10) The new year got off to a very weak start. Admittedly, temporary factors played some part in this. Not only did the snow discourage spending, but consumers may have pulled forward purchases of... 22nd February 2010 · 1 min read
